The Boston Celtics’ historic reliance on three-point shooting backfired Monday night as they missed a record 45 attempts from beyond the arc in a 108-105 overtime loss to the New York Knicks in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Boston went 15-for-60 on three-pointers, setting a new playoff record for most three-point attempts in a game. The Celtics squandered a 20-point second-half lead as their offense grew increasingly perimeter-oriented.
“Some of ’em felt good, some of ’em felt like we maybe forced the issue,” said Jaylen Brown, who went 1-of-10 from deep. “Definitely our rhythm and our timing was a little bit off. We got a lot of great looks, but it may be some truth [to shooting too many] today.”
Cold Shooting Opens Door For Knicks Comeback
After building a comfortable 20-point advantage, the Celtics connected on just 3 of their final 28 three-point attempts. Boston’s shooting woes were particularly evident in the second half, when they went 9-for-34 from long range.
The Knicks capitalized on Boston’s misses, with OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson combining to score or assist on 55 of New York’s 63 points after halftime. Despite taking 23 fewer three-point attempts, the Knicks made two more (17) than the Celtics.
“Obviously in hindsight, if we could go back, we’d probably drive the ball a little bit more because we missed a lot of shots tonight,” said Jayson Tatum, who finished 4-of-15 from three-point range.
Mazzulla Defends Shot Selection Despite Results
Joe Mazzulla, who has emphasized maximizing three-point attempts throughout the season, remained relatively steadfast in his approach despite the historic shooting slump.
“I look at the process and the shot quality, [and] our shot quality was high,” Mazzulla said. “There were probably eight to 10 shots that could be better at for sure.”
Boston’s shot selection down the stretch drew criticism even from within the team. The Celtics took only six free throws after establishing their 20-point lead, relying almost exclusively on perimeter shots to maintain their advantage.
“In those moments when the other team got momentum you can’t just fire up 3s to break up momentum,” Brown said. “You got to get to the free throw line, get to the paint, get to the basket, maybe get an easy two. You hit some free throws and then maybe the next 3-pointer feels a little bit better.”